Odynophagia following retained bee stinger

• Published in: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: S Viswanathan, N Iqbal, V Shanmugam, G Srinath
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SciELO 2012
• Subjects: intraoral bee sting; massive bee sting; oropharyngeal Hymenoptera stings; soft palate; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Toxicology. Poisons; RA1190-1270; Zoology; QL1-991; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-91992012000200016; https://doaj.org/article/f452b20e82594db4949d838b494dce26

Nearly half of Hymenoptera stings affect the head and neck region of victims, but reports on oropharyngeal bee stings are very few. We describe the case of a patient with odynophagia and suffocation in mass envenomation. He had a retained bee stinger whose removal was delayed for more than 24 hours following the sting, due to persisting angioedema. Odynophagia receded after removal of the stinger and treatment with paracetamol, steroids and metronidazole. The patient also developed rhabdomyolysis, renal failure and hepatitis that were treated with conservative therapy. Oropharyngeal stings can simulate symptoms of persisting angioedema in victims of mass envenomation.